Indexing mechanism.



E. A. WBITERSHAUSEN & H. F. OTTENBAGH.

, INDEXING MECHANISM.

urmm'nou rum) JUNE 21, 1910.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PIANOGIAPII 0.. vumumamu. D- c.

E. A. WEiTERSHAUSEN & H. F. OTTENBAGH.

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' APPLIOATIOK FILED JUNE 21, 1910. 1,001,484, Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAPII cp WASHINGTON, Dv c.

B1 A. WEITERSHAUSEN & H. P. OTTENBACH.

INDBXING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1910.

1,001,484. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

6 SHEETS-BEBE? 3.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH cu.,WASmNflTON. 0.4:.

E. A. WEITERSHAUSEN & H. F. OTTENBAGH.

INDEXING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1910.

1,001,484. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

COLUMBIA PLANDURAI'H 60.,WAxnlNn1nN. n. c.

E. A. WEITERSHAUSEN & H. F. OTTENBAGH.

INDBXING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1910.

. 1,001,484. Patented Aug.22, 1911.

5 BHBETB-BHEET 5.

UNTTE TA S PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. WEITERSHAUSEN AND HARRISON F. OTTENBACH, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

INDEXING MECHANISM.

Application filed June 21, 1910.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented An". 22, 1911.

Serial No. 568,126.

To all whom "it may concern:

lie it known that we, EDWARD A. \Vnrrnnsnausnn and .IIARRISUN I". OT'IENBMJII, citizens of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indexing Mechanisn'i, of which the following is a SPCCIfiCtt-tlOIl, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

Our invention refers to improvements in indexing gears for gear cutting machines, or wherever it is desired to cut any predetermined number of teeth or to make circumferential divisions up to any practical extent, as say from 10 to 400 continuously withoutexcepting any number between.

In gear cutting and other similar machinery, it is not ordinarily possible to successfully cut teeth of any number desired owing to the limitations of the gears, the necessity for substituting or changing wheels, etc, so that the efficiency of the machine is limited to certain numbers and proportions, as is a well known fact with machinists.

In carrying out our invention, we employ a primary and a secondary train of gears. The primary set of gears is operable to make any predetermined number of cuts or equiva lent operations to one complete revolution of the blank, within its limitations, without the assistance of the secondary train. The secondary train of gears is opcral. le, with the primary gears to control the normal operation thereof and to accomplish any other desired number of cuts or equivalent operations, not possible with the primary train alone, beyond and supplemental to the normal range or capacity of the primary train of gears. In each case the operation of the positively geared rotating mechanism for the blank to be cut is controlled through stop shaft mechanism, operating to release a friction-driven main shaft during the shifting period and to lock it against movement during the cutting period. The stop shaft provided with a pawl-controlled abutment. Its movement is either for a complete revolution in normal operation of the prin'iary train of gears alone, the position of the pawl being stationary, or for less than a complete revolution, as controlled by the secondary train of gears. In the latter case, the position of the pawl is gradually changed whereby to effect engagement of the abutment before the stop shaft has completed an entire revolution, thus slightly retarding the travel of the rotating mechanism for the blank, to insure the desired number of intermediate rotative movements and stops. The particular desired number of such movements and corresponding stops is ascertained and secured by and through the change speed gearing incorporated in the primary and secondary trams.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

liigure l. is a plan view of the gearing entire. Fig. l is a similar view showing the friction actuated drive shaft and the connections therefrom to the blank. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on the hue Ill. lll. of Fig. 1. Fig. a1; is an end elevation of the construction shown in Fig. l, enlarged, partly in section on the line H". IV. of said ligure. .lfiig. 5 is a vertical sectional detail view on the line V. V. of Fig. l. Fig. (3 is a vertical sectional view indicated by the line V]. VI. of Fig. Fig. T is a diagrammatic view of the entiri apparatus with its parts in their proper oper ative relations.

Iloth the primary and secondary sets of gears are actuated primarily from the main shaft 2. Said shaft "2 is intended to be driven continuously, except when arrested by the stop shaft mechanism hereinafter described, by any suitable friction mechanism, as for instance a disk 12 secured to shaft '1 and a co-acting friction disk 2", continuously driven by a belt or gearing from any suitable prime mover. The friction engagement bctwecn disks "3 and 2" is such that when the stop shaft mechanism is released, shaft :2 and the connected gearing driven thereby, will be operative. \Vhcn the stop shaft mechanism operates to arrest transmission of power through either the primary train of gears or through the primary and secondary trains of gears, then slippage occurs between disks 2 and 2", until such time as the stop shaft mechanism operates by release to effect the free transmission of power to the blank rotating mechanism, from shaft The blank ll is mounted on the end of blank spindle (it) rotatably mounted in bearing 70, said spindle having the terminal TI to which the blank B is secured by nut 72, or by other suitable means. It is intended that blank B shall be partially rotated to the desired degree for each tooth cutting operation of the positively actuated tool or cutter a corresponding to each reciprocation of the tool head A. That is to say, blank B is rotated partially and periodically during a single entire revolution, a number of times equaling the number of teeth, or divisions between the teeth, to be cut therein. The tool head A is reciproca-ted in the direction of the arrow slowly, whereby to effect the cutting operation by cutter a through the blank B, by well known means, and is retracted quickly at the end of the cutting operation for a new cut. Between the end of one cutting operation and the commencement of the next, the blank B is to be ro tated the desired distance, corresponding to the diametrical' pitch of the tooth.

Ordinarily, in cutting teeth in gears, no difficulty is encountered for gears of standard pitch or usual numbers of teeth. However, between the range of 10 to 400 teeth to any given circumference, there are many instances in which the ordinary gears of gear cutting machines are not capable of being set to cut some particular other number of teeth, as for instance 121 teeth. The present invention contemplates the use of the primary gearing for cutting teeth within the ordinary range of operations usually performed by gear cutting machines as at present designed, wherein the changes are made by change gear mechanism, within the usual range provided for. Also, the cutting of intervening numbers of teeth not provided for by the primary train of gears, by means of the secondary train of gears, acting on the stop sha'ft mechanism, whereby with the secondary train of gears set to cut any predetermined number, of additional teeth, for instance 1, 2, 3, etc, this may be provided for by fractionally diminishing the adjustment of the blank through the primary gears, by the secondary gears, whereby to secure a corresponding additional number of partial rotations of the blank, to the desired extent, comprising the whole number of partial rotations, in a complete revolution of the blank.

Assuming the shaft 2 to be an intermittently operative shaft, continuously subject to the friction transmitted by the driving power of disk 2, and subject to the peri odical stop control of the stop shaft mechanism, and to operate to actuate blank B through the bevel gears 61, 65, shaft 66, worm 67 and worm wheel 68 secured. to spindle 69, transmission through the primary set of gears from shaft 2 is controlled as follows: Bevel gear 5 on shaft 2 engaging bevel gear 6 on shaft 8, transmits rotation to the particular gear of the coniform group 10, through a key 12, slidingly mounted centrally of shaft 8, and extending laterally through a slot therein. (Fig. Key 12 is mounted in a longitudinally adjustable rodv 13 having an adjustable extension 1 1 provided with a series of rack teeth in operative engagement with the pinion 15. Said pinion is mounted on a shaft and provided with hand wheel or other actuating mechanism, not shown, but whereby the key 12 may be set to transmit motion to the particular one of gears 10, according to the speed to be transmitted. All of said gears 10 mesh into a companion series of gears 11, keyed to shaft 9, so that the particular one of the gears 10, which is temporarily keyed to shaft 8 will drive its companion gear 11 and shaft 9. @n shaft 9 is secured a coniform series of gears 16, any one of which as desired,- will transmit rotation, through idler pinion 18 and spline pinion 20, in shifting arm 19, to spline shaft 17. Said shifting arm 19, (similar to arm 27 shown in detail in Fig. 6) is slidably adjustable along spline shaft 17, whereby to transmit to it the desired speed depending upon which oarticular gear of the group 16 it is intermeshed with.

Secured to spline shaft 17 is a pinion 21 intermeshing with pinion 22 of shaft 28 carrying a coniform series of pinion gears 2a. Rotation is transmitted from any particular one of said gears 24 to stop shaft 25 through idler pinion 28 and spline gear 26, mounted in shifting arm 27, shown in detail in Fig. 6. Said arm is shifted along splined stop shaft 25 to the desired position, and is locked in place by any suitablemeans, as a key 0, adapted to enter one of a series of slantingly arranged sockets (Z, suitably forming a portion of the framework of the machine. Such construction is of Well known arrangement, and further description thereof is not necessary.

Stop shaft 25 constitutes the terminal member of the primary train of gears just described, and the amount of free rotation of said stop shaft, until arrested, controls the corresponding extentof rotation of the blank B through gears 64, during such time a shaft 2 is permitted to rotate under the friction drive mechanism 2*, 2 until said shaft 2 is positively arrested by the arresting'of stop shaft 25. To effect the arresting of stop shaft 25 at the proper time, and assuming the desired number of cuts of blank B to be Within the possible range of the primary gears, it is necessary to assume also that the worm wheel 30, which is freely mounted around shaft 25, is normally stationary. We will therefore assume that shaft 33 carrying Worm 32, (meshing into worm wheel 30) is disconnected from the coniform series of gears 34 by withdrawal of the co-acting key, similar to key 12 and ope 'able by rack 36 and pinion 37 in the same manneas described, as to key 12.

Pivotally mounted on a screw or pin 53 within the shrouded. hub of worm wheel 30., is a pawl 54, normally pressed into engaging position by a button 57 on the end o'l stem 58 mounted within an upward extension 59 of housing Ell. liutton 57 is normally thrust down by a spring tit) mounted within the extension 53$) and secured by a terminal cap (it as clearly shown. Normal rotation of stop shat't and its enlarged hub 25) is in the direction of the arrow 1; on said hub, Fig. t, when abutment 5(3 is released trom engagement with pawl at. To disengage the pawl, we provide a tapered hitting pin or button (32 which is pushed up by the bevel shoulder 3 ot' a plunger 51. mounted within the housing of the worm wheel 30. extending through a front plate 52 thereof and normally thrust outwardly by a spring 53. Plunger 51. is provided with a wedge or coni'l'orm shaped terminal 50 extending beyond the plate 52.

For the purpose of actuating the above described releasing mechanism for the pawl. a sliding block 4:?) is provided, mounted in a suitable guide or l rame to, having a connecting pin or link it and connected with the reciprtmating cutter head A by llexible connection +12, as a. chain. Spring to normally retracts sliding block 4;} so that when cutter holder A moves 'l orwardly in the cutting ope 'ation. the block 4-3 will be thrust by the spring back to its position shown in. Fig. l.

Pivotally mounted at +7 in block 413 is a linger or dog 4-8 having a bevel terminal, bearing bacluvardly against a. rear wall -l-.) of block l3 in its forward movement and adapted to bear against the tapering terminal 50 ot' plunger 5.1. A't'ter the cutting operation, during which the blank 15 remains stationary the cutter head A is reciproeated baelnvardly for a new operation (by means not shown) and during such reverse reciprocation and before the next cutting operation commences, the blank 15 is rotated the desired extent for the next tooth. Backward movementot' block 45% and its key 48, depresses plunger 51. back wardly, whereby pawl 5+ is thrown up wardly from engagement with shoulder 56, to e'tt'ect disconnection of the worm wheel E30 and stop shatti- \Vhen the stop shatt is thus released, main shaft is likewise immedi ately released, whereupon the fflltttiml drive lnechanisn'i will immediately t 'ansmit power through bevels (i l. 65. and shaft (ill and worm gearing (S7. (58, to the blank spindle (it). the extent of movement depending upon the rotation of stop shaft 25. Assuming the secondary train of gears to be inoperative. as stated, pawl 5% being but momentarily liit ted and plunger 5t being thrust outwardly by its spring immediately after dog -18 has passed beyond it. pawl fi-l will then be held downwardly by spring (it) and button 57, and will arrest shoulder at; at: the termination of one complete revolution of the stop shal't. This operation will continue for each recipro 'ation of the cutter holder A.

The secondary train of gears is driven l rom main shall '13 by bevel gears 2%. l sha'lt T, bevel gears 38, lit), and eonit'orm series of gears -l-l on sha'l't lt). corresponding conitorm series ol gears ZH- is loosely mounted on shalt 53 aml any particular one oli said gears is keyed to the shal't by a key similar to key 12 and actuated by the rack 23b aml also outsaid pinion 37 for such purpose. The rack has a sullicient 'ange ol movement wardly to entirely disconnect all ol? the gears ill from shal't $313 when the secondary train is not needed. When however. it is desired to supplement or modify the control of the stop shaft 25 by the secondary train, that parti .-ular wheel SH which will give the desired extent of movement is keyed to sha'lt Eli-l. llpon release of pawl all. worm Z12 will actuate worm wheel 30. *arrying pawl slowly around with it in the opposite direction. as indicated by tln arrow 1/. from that of stop shaft 25 and its lmb 29. whereby to advance amt meet shoulder at). before it has made an entire revolution.

It will thus be seen that, depending upon the gearing. the rotation ol the stop shal t is rcdured to a fraction less than a complete revolution. thereby reducing the extent ot periodic partial rotation o'l blank 3. Thus. assuming that the primary gears. without the assistance ol the secondary train. will el'lect tilt) stop periods ol' the blank and it is desired to stop the blank 121 times, this ran be done by causing or ell'ecting the engagement of shoulder 56 by pawl Til at the proper moment. to reduce the amount o'l travel ol the stop shal't to the desired proportionate degree. to acquire the additional stop in one complete revolution.

.lt will be readily understood that by shil'tiug the key in shalt Il to the particular gear 3-}. controlling the speed. additional stops to the desired number For an entire i.'e .olution of the blank may be secured, within the ange provided l'or. It will also be understood that suitable charts showing the proper combination o'l giars are provided tor the machinist. whereby to ellect any desired number o'l stops ol? the blank.

Asslnning there to be lit) teeth in the main worm wheel (38, then the proper gears must be used on the primary train to cause stop shalt 27 to make 120 stops or turns while shaft on makes 120 turns. Now it (it) divisions are wanted. shalt (iii would have to make 120 turns while stop slm t t 25 makes (50 turns, or it 30 divisions are wanted, shaft 66 would have to make 120 turns while stop shaft 25 is making 30 turns or stops. This is accomplished by the shifting lever of pinion 15 and the sliding key 12, in combination with the changes which can be made through shifting arms 19 and 27, to effect the proper combination with the gearing 10, 11. Vihen additional cold numbers of stops are required, the result is secured through the change gears 34:, 41, in the manner already described, whereby to effect the controlling supplemental movement of worm wheel 30 carrying pawl 54. It may be stated that worm wheel 30 is timed to correspond with 120 teeth in worm wheel 68 on the main machine, at a ratio of from 1 to 1 to 5 to 1, as controlled. through change speed gears 3441-1. In making say 121 divisions, the key in gears 3% must be set to cause worm wheel 30 to turn at a ratio of 1 to l, which causes the pawl 54- to travel a fraction of a revolution with wheel 30 to meet shoulder 56, whereby stop shaft 25 now makes less than a full turn to each stop, or in other words, is retarded enough to allow stop shaft 25 to make say 121 stops while shaft 66 turns 120 times.

It will be understood that in the use of the primary train alone there is no interval exceeding 5 divisions which cannot be made through the primary train, and as the secondary train has a capacity or range of from 1 to 5 supplemental divisions, the limitations of the principal train are thus entircly compensated for, whereby to accomplish every possible division from 10 to 400. It will also be understood that the invention may be applied, where practicable, to any circumferential dividing machine.

What we claim is 1. Gearing for circumferential dividing machines comprising a main shaft provided with friction drive mechanism, means geared with said shaft for intermittently rotating a blank, a train of gearing in driving engagement with the main shaft embodying change speed mechanism and provided with a terminal stop shaft, and means controlled by the intermittent action of a reciprocating cutter holder for alternately locking and releasing said stop shaft, substantially as set forth.

2. In gearing for circumferential dividing machines, the combination of a main driving shaft, frictional driving means therefor means geared with the main shaft for ro tating a blank when the main shaft is actuated by the friction drive mechanism, a train of change speed gearing in driving engagement with the main shaft and provided with a stop shaft controlling the movement of the friction driven main shaft, locking and unlocking mechanism for the stop shaft, and a reciprocating cutter holder and means actuated thereby controlling the operation of said locking and unlocking mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. 1n gearing for circumferential dividing machines, the combination of a main driving shaft, frictional driving means therefor, means geared with the main shaft for rotating a blank when the main shaft is actuated by the friction drive mechanism, a train of change speed gearing in driving engagement with the main shaft and provided with a stop shaft having a locking abutment and a pawl, means for disengaging said pawl, and reciprocable mechanism adapted to actuate said means, substantially as set forth.

4. In gearing for circumferential dividing machines,the combination of a main driving shaft, frictional driving means therefor, means geared with the main shaft for rotating a blank when the main shaft is actuated by the friction drive mechanism, a train of change speed gearing in driving engagement wit-h the main shaft and provided with a stop shaft having a locking abutment, a spring pressed pawl adapted to engage said abutment, means for disengaging said pawl, a reciprocable cutter holder, and a co-acting reciprocable element having a device adapted to operate the pawl-disengaging means, substantially as set forth.

5. 1n gearing for circumferential dividing machines, the combination of a main driving shaft, frictional driving means therefor, means geared with the main shaft for rotating a blank when the main shaft is actuated by the friction drive mechanism, a train of change speed gearing in driving engagement with the main shaft and provided with a stop shaft having a locking abutment, a gear wheel embracing the stop shaft provided with a spring pressed pawl, a depressible plunger adapted to disengage the pawl, a reciprocable element having a device for engaging said plun er, and a secondary train of change speed gearing geared with the main shaft and with the gear wheel embracing the stop shaft, substantially as set forth.

6. ln gearing for circumferential dividing machines, the combination of a main driving shaft, frictional driving means therefor, means geared with the main shaft for rotating a. blank when the main shaft is actuated by the friction drive mechanism, a train of change speed gearing in driving engagement with the main shaft and provided with a stop shaft having a locking abutment, a wheel embracing the stop shaft provided with a spring pressed pawl, means mounted in the stop shaft for disengaging the pawl, a reciprocable element having a device for engaging said means, and means geared with the main shaft and with the pawl carrying wheel embracing the stop shaft provided with change speed gearing for actuating said pawl carrying wheel to i etteet variable locking of the stop shaft, substantially as set forth. 5 7. The combination with the blank aetuating ineehanisin, friction driven shaft, change speed gearing, stop shatt, and gear wheel surroululing the stop shaft; of means 1 'arried by said gear wheel for locking the stop shaft, a reciproczhle cutter holder, a l'GCi] )i'OC 2tl')l0 elei'nent actuated thereby for unlocking the stop shatt't at each recipro :ation of the cutter holder, and a secondary i train of change speed gearing geared with the friction driven shaft and with the gall" wheel surrounding the stop shalt, suhstalr 15 tially as set forth.

In testimony whcreot we atl'lx our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

llllWAltl) A. Wl'll'lllltSllAUStli'. llAltltlSON l. t)'l"lllNBAt/ll.

\\*'itnesses (l. M. (lLAHKl-l, Guns. h. Iii-wear.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

